Velvet Chain

nica

ass still echoed in my ear

now what I

ind, wrapped in silk sheets whi

, he was already there-t

floor. The broken window gaped op

esk, jaw locked, a red en

't look

ed?" I asked

ans

ove. Didn't

forward.

e was lo

uldn't b

wed. "We

desk, the sound cracking th

me-and the fury in hi

owled. "You don't understand

arms. "Then

ine. You were followed. Someone broke into this house. Someone

"Who... w

red envelope.

to me-but the way Dam

is

ner." His tone darkened.

to my throat. "Why

softened-jus

a target the moment

it harder th

anger had cooled-but now some

ses

gr

a

he murmured. "You should've

"You're the one who dragge

his fingertips brushing a

protect you,"

ce... I be

saw the war

idn't just wan

ed to k

-

en's

't have com

she

acing, eyes flashing-and I didn't

done exactly what he

d something I hadn'

ca mat

han th

an the

my godda

now. Vulnerable a

ldn't sto

slowly-giving her

di

her jaw, gen

stop," I s

le

eath t

beg," she

I murmured, brushing my

wn, mouth g

t-just one-she

ips p

th

push

a

ough t

gh to say

past me, and stood

trong. M

i

you?" she asked,

my closest friend. My co-f

d n

y, "he wants to destr

eyes narrowing.

n't a

e the

e

ially

-

nica

of the bed, hear

n't follow

ence. The memory of his touch

d've ha

I di

ifying about being desir

worse about wa

hed my

till t

't kis

fu

thought

as losin

and turned off the light.

man downstairs. The man watching my every move

e I

bration s

phone Damien had given me-se

w me

wn nu

ened

n't tr

brea

e you st

d turne

peared as I star

self-

tra

rep

orst

they got t

-

V – Cliffha

e study long

glass had b

ity t

ck inside m

just a name on a

o everything I tho

things I had bu

d envelope again,

wante

i

dn't just

smantl

by p

-only to see Ava blocking t

ld up

a burner that pi

tighten

t got into Ms. Bl

ze. "

ice wa

It was someone who knew your encry

st lik

kn

was already ins